Program Site: The School for Field Studies (SFS) Center for Rainforest Management Studies is near the town of Yungaburra in Far Northern Queensland, 40 miles from the coastal city of Cairns.

Eligibility: Minimum USC cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students must have completed at least one college-level ecology or biology course and be at least 18 years old.

Description: The astonishing diversity of Australia’s rainforest makes it an extraordinary laboratory for studying rainforest management and restoration. Although the ecological and economic benefits of rainforests are well known, much less is understood about the ability to restore them once they have been cut. The main goal of this program is to develop rainforest restoration strategies and practices that benefit both the ecosystems and human communities of the Atherton Tablelands. Conservation challenges and cutting-edge management strategies developed here will likely serve as a model for the rest of the world’s tropical rainforests.

Academics: Students enroll in four courses: Rainforest Ecology, Principles of Forest Management, Economic Policy and Socioeconomic Values, and Directed Research. Courses involve a great deal of hands-on fieldwork, and the directed research projects provide invaluable experience for students interested in graduate studies or work dealing with the environment.

Course Load and Credit: Students enroll in four courses and may earn up to 16 units.

Activities and Other Program Features: Students do a weekend homestay with an Australian family. Field work involves students with the local community. There is a one-week mid-semester break.

Accommodation:  Students share eight-person cabins at the Center for Rainforest Studies, nestled at the edge of the world's oldest rainforest.

Dates: Fall or Spring. Fall semester runs from early September to mid December; Spring semester runs from early February to early May.

Estimated Semester Cost:
Tuition.............................$13,447
Additional Expenses*...........$9,645
Total................................$23,092

Cost Updated: 06/10/11
Text Updated: 07/09/12

*Additional expenses include estimated costs for airfare, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, and personal expenses (which can vary greatly from student to student). USC financial aid, scholarships, and tuition remission may be applied to program costs. Please visit the Office of Overseas Studies for more detailed cost information.

Links:
School for Field Studies
Australian Rainforest Information
Yungaburra Information
Lonely Planet Australia